Pillow Dilemmas and the Emergency Bell
“Hmm...”
Back home, Baek Ji-an let out a deep sigh with a serious expression on her face. She was agonizing over what to do with Kang Jinseong's pillow sitting on her bed.
“Should I toss it or not...”
If this had just been a pillow that only Kang Jinseong had used, throwing it out wouldn't have even crossed her mind. She'd have simply shoved her old pillow aside and claimed this one right away. But this wasn't just any pillow anymore. This was a pillow that both she and Yoo Seo-ah had used—a shared pillow, tainted by drool.
If it had only her own saliva on it, she'd have washed it without a second thought and used it. The problem was Yoo Seo-ah had used it too. Another woman's scent was already embedded in it, and every time she laid her head down, she'd be reminded that Yoo Seo-ah had been there first. The thought made her want to chuck it immediately, but it had been Jinseong's pillow first, and that made it too precious to discard.
“Ugh, what the hell do I do? It's annoying to use comfortably, but too good to throw away. If it weren't for that Yoo Seo-ah woman, I could've just used it without issue...”
For an S-rank hunter—one of only nine in all of Korea—this was ridiculously petty. No, downright creepy. It was a pointless worry that felt deadly serious to her alone, the kind that would make anyone else blurt out, “No way, for real?”
As she stewed in this utterly trivial dilemma, a piercing alarm blared from her phone on the bedside table.
Beeeep—!
It was the emergency ringtone set for numbers she dreaded but had to answer.
[Baekga]
Baek Ji-an's face hardened at the name on her screen.
“...Haa.”
A sigh, bottled up in her chest for ages, escaped unbidden. She wanted to smash the ignore button and be done with it, but that wasn't an option. She was bound to the family.
Click.
“Hello.”
Baek Ji-an pressed the connect button.
“Hello, Miss Ji-an.”
The voice from the phone speaker was that of the familiar old butler from the main house.
“The acting patriarch wishes to congratulate you on fully clearing the Monster Dragon's Nest and has arranged a dinner. He wants to see you tomorrow without delay, so please prepare swiftly and return to the main house on time.”
The butler had served the Baekga family loyally for generations, but his tone toward Baek Ji-an—one of the guild's vice leaders—held not a shred of deference. He was merely relaying his master's orders, dry and emotionless. Baek Ji-an bit her lower lip hard.
...I don't want to go. I don't want to.
She wanted to refuse the summons from the acting patriarch—her uncle. To her, Baekga was no different from a suffocating prison. But she couldn't voice the refusal rising in her throat.
“Also, the acting patriarch added this.”
“......”
“'Ji-an, that orphan kid you've been soft on since you were little. Seems like he's doing pretty well these days.'”
Baekga already had her one and only weakness in their grasp.
“......I'll be there on time.”
In the end, all Baek Ji-an could do before the family's will was nod obediently.
“Understood. We'll be waiting.”
Click. The call ended, plunging the room into silence.
Now, even looking at Jinseong's pillow brought no thoughts to mind. She'd been able to indulge in such silly worries earlier because meeting Jinseong had restored some peace to her heart. But the moment the family called, her heart began trembling with anxiety again.
Just one phone call. A single order to come home—and Baek Ji-an was reminded of her forgotten circumstances, her reality. Even as an adult, an S-rank hunter, even after conquering an S-rank dungeon flawlessly, she remained shackled to her overwhelmingly great family.
Thud.Squeeze—
Baek Ji-an flung herself onto the bed and clutched Jinseong's pillow tight—just like she'd embraced its original owner moments ago.
“...Kang Jinseong.”
Saying his name aloud eased the suffocating tightness in her chest a little. He was her sole sanctuary, with no one else to trust or lean on. Her reason for living, her goal. From the day 15 years ago when he'd become her first friend in life, Jinseong had been utterly precious to her.
And so, to protect him, Baek Ji-an would do anything.
“I'll protect you. From now on, always.”
Even if it meant tightening the collar around her own neck.
※ The new ability I'd gained, Temporary Member Registration Authority. It let me register people as temporary members, rescue them in crises, and claim rewards—perfect for building up cash and fame to start a guild down the line.
I decided to launch a Daily Hunter Rescue Insurance business using it. Hunters who signed up became temporary Safe House members. If they got into danger, I'd rush in, save them, and collect the payout.
Thanks to Yoo Seo-ah, I was already pretty famous, and videos on my YouTube channel, Suho Channel, proved my skills. The hunters at the broker office signed up with me no problem. Starting with a post-paid model—no upfront fees, pay only after rescue—made it a no-brainer for them.
I figured the business was off to a killer start when lines formed to sign contracts. But nope. Reality hit hard.
High on getting the ability, I'd overlooked one massive flaw.
“Fuck, why the hell aren't these assholes getting into any danger?!”
Korean hunters were safety pros. I'd forgotten, since both me and Yoo Seo-ah had nearly died on recent jobs. But hunting was so dangerous that safety protocols were airtight.
“This ain't it. I was supposed to be running around like my feet were on fire from day one...”
My fame came from Yoo Seo-ah's halo, not my own merit. Borrowed glory fades fast. I needed to rack up feats quick before it vanished, solidify my rep.
“Two days in and no alerts? What the fuck?”
No crises meant no action. My contracted hunters were staying safe as houses.
“Shit, what now.”
Like a newbie stock trader glued to their app, I kept staring at the Safe House member list. Stocks let you cut losses or average down—this? Nothing changed.
Face heating up from the flop after such a cocky launch, the doorbell rang, shattering the stifling quiet.
Ding-dong—
“Hey, Jinseong.”
“Come on in, Seo-ah.”
The visitor was Yoo Seo-ah. She'd come yesterday, today, every day of her vacation. No friends, only me to hang with, she said.
“Oh, Jinseong, your clothes... all shiny and ready. Heading out again today?”
She eyed my polished outfit cautiously. Yeah. I was geared up for instant deployment. Never actually used, though.
“...Yep.”
“Ah...”
She averted her gaze slowly at my curt reply. Then, clapping suddenly, she flashed a flower-like smile.
“W-well... how about a mood-boosting walk?”
“A walk?”
“Yeah! You're already dressed for it.”
Yesterday, no alerts came while waiting, so we strolled the neighborhood. Fun, but bittersweet. Still, better than rotting inside waiting endlessly. I nodded at her.
EMERGENCY. EMERGENCY. EMERGENCY.
Life-Threatening Danger Detected.
But I froze midway.
“Jinseong? It was the crisis alert I'd been dying for. Gear was fully kitted in my outfit for this exact moment. Quick gear check: holstered gun and knife good. Standard mags good. Just deploy.
“Seo-ah, sorry, no walk today. Alert popped.”
“Really? Awesome! But, uh, not too dangerous, right?”
“Nah, it's fine. My contracts are all C-rank or below.”
Everyone from the broker yesterday and today was C-rank max—nothing I couldn't handle. Nail this job perfectly, build rep, snag a solid team. Pumped, I slipped on shoes, heading out—
VIP Member Baek Ji-an, Dragon Subjugation Vice Leader, is in mortal peril.
“...What the actual fuck.”
I yanked the door open and bolted out.
'Safe House Rescue Service' commencing.